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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · tube · lie · bark · bass · band · calf · stand

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bark — to shout
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. band — a ring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — boats
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bass — the fish
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stand — to bear
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com